In general, a heat sink is a thermally conductive device that dissipates heat from one or more circuit board components into the surrounding air. An air stream generated by a fan assembly then carries the heat away. Such operation enables the circuit board components to operate in a lower temperature range without increasing the likelihood of operating incorrectly and/or sustaining damage. Examples of circuit board components that use heat sinks include high speed processors, Field Programmable Gate Arrays, and optical transceivers.
There are a variety of conventional approaches for mounting a heat sink to a circuit board component. One conventional approach (hereinafter referred to as the “adhesive approach”) involves the circuit board manufacturer (or supplier) affixing the heat sink to the component package with an adhesive (e.g., tape, glue, combinations thereof, etc.) having a high thermal transfer coefficient. In this approach, the manufacturer applies the adhesive between the circuit board component and the heat sink. Glue-like material within the adhesive then cures to fasten the heat sink directly to the outer surface of the component package. Accordingly, when the component is in operation, the heat sink, which is now held firmly in place by the adhesive, conveys heat from the component into the surrounding air.
Another conventional approach (hereinafter referred to as the “fastener approach”) involves the circuit board manufacturer providing mounting holes in circuit board locations surrounding the circuit board component. In this approach, the manufacturer then installs standoffs (i.e., threaded metallic posts, nuts, and perhaps other loose hardware) on the circuit board through the mounting holes, and places the heat sink over the top of the component, perhaps with thermal transfer material disposed between the heat sink and the top of the component package to facilitate heat transfer therebetween. Next, the manufacturer rigidly secures the heat sink to the standoffs. As a result, when the component is in operation, the heat sink, which is now held rigidly in place by the standoffs, conducts heat from the component and dissipates that heat into a neighboring air stream.
In yet another conventional approach (hereinafter referred to as the “anchor-in-hole approach”), the circuit board manufacturer solders U-shaped anchors into plated through holes (PTHs) of the circuit board. This soldering step is typically performed manually by a technician after performance of a surface mount soldering process in which all of the circuit board components are mounted to the circuit board. After the technician manually solders the U-shaped anchors into place, the technician places a heat sink over the circuit board component, and hooks the ends of a spring wire clip through the U-shaped anchors. Tension between the spring wire clip and the heat sink holds the heat sink properly in place over the circuit board component.